


A Long Way From Home

by glindathegood



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 23:33:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11588454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glindathegood/pseuds/glindathegood
Summary: Belle arrives in Storybrooke with no money, no job, and no idea what this little town holds. She makes a deal with Mr. Gold in order to get back on her feet. My Rumbelle Christmas in July gift for tumblr user bellegold





	A Long Way From Home

Drops of rain slid down the bus window, illuminated only by the distant streetlights. There were only three people left on the Greyhound, approaching the end of the line. Belle sat in the middle row, her head leaning against the glass with only a balled up sweatshirt for comfort. A single backpack leaned against her ankles while she clutched the silver chain around neck and thought hard. She’d been doing this for three days now, changing busses at random with no clue what her plan was except to get out. And now, approaching the last stop in Storybrooke, Maine, she would have to figure it out quickly. She was on her own, and a long way from home.  
They screeched to a halt, and the driver announced that everyone had to get off. The doors opened and allowed the chilled air to enter the bus, making Belle shiver. She straightened out her rumpled sweatshirt and quickly put it on before grabbing her backpack and heading off the bus. Belle could only imagine how she looked to the others. She felt greasy, with only a worn down backpack and a shabby sweatshirt, but she was still wearing her designer cocktail dress and an expensive ring on her finger. The contrast was amusing to her, enough so that she almost took off the sweatshirt. Instead, she pulled it tighter around her as she left the shelter of the bus and stepped into the cool October night. Her surroundings were alien. Only a few people were out and about at this time and she could hardly make out their figures in the red glow. Turning her head, she saw the source of this light, a neon sign on the building in front of her. 

 

Granny’s Diner & Bed and Breakfast

Unable to believe her luck, Belle hurried up the walk and entered the building. She blinked, taking a moment to adjust to the fluorescent light of the diner. It was almost as quiet as it was outside, with only a few tables filled. A young woman smiled brightly at Belle as she walked by and set the pitcher she was carrying down on a table.  
“Welcome to Granny’s. My name’s Ruby, can I help you?” she asked, leaning against one of the chairs.  
“I, uh, I need a place to stay,” Belle said carefully. Ruby smiled immediately.  
“Oh, that’s easy. Granny’s at the counter, she’ll help you out with a room,” she said, gesturing to an older woman across the room.  
“Thank you,” Belle said with a hesitant smile.  
“Don’t mention it” she replied, picking up the pitcher and sauntering over to one of the customers. Belle made her way to the counter, breathing nervously. She didn’t think Ruby exactly understood her.  
“Um, Ruby said I should talk to you about a place to stay?” Belle began. Granny nodded sensibly.  
“That would be correct. We have a couple of rooms upstairs, come over to the register and we’ll get you checked in,” she offered, but Belle pursed her lips.  
“Well, you see, I don’t exactly have any more money. But I could pay with this,” Belle told her nervously. She slipped the ring off her finger and held it up. Granny eyed the ring suspiciously before moving her gaze to Belle.  
“I don’t accept that sort of thing.” she said firmly. The tiniest bit of hope Belle had fell flat. She slipped the ring back on her finger.  
“Well… I could work for it. I could waitress in return for a room and one meal a day, that’s all I’d need.”  
“Sorry, that’s not how I run my business. Come back with some money and I’ll help you out then,” Granny told her with a stern gaze before walking away to help another customer. Belle sighed, out of ideas. She had no idea where she was, and if she didn’t hurry she’d be sleeping on the street. Just as Belle was about to leave, Ruby approached her again.  
“Hey,” she said quietly, glancing back at Granny to make sure she wasn’t watching. “There’s this guy in town named Mr. Gold, he owns a pawn shop just down the street. You might be able to sell your ring there. And if not, he has a weird thing with deals, so you might be able to work something out.” Belle felt her heart lift again, but she wasn’t sure how well that would work. She glanced at the clock. It was past eight thirty.  
“It’s a bit late, is the shop even still open?” she asked.  
“Probably not, but he practically lives there. You might be able to catch him before he leaves.”  
Ruby gave her directions, and Belle thanked her before leaving the diner. Her nerves were high as she walked down the unknown street in the dark, but before she knew it she was standing under a sign that read  
Mr. Gold.  
Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer  
The sign on the door was flipped to “closed” but it was unlocked when Belle tried it. She opened it and stepped inside as a bell rang above her. The shop was dimly lit and packed to the brim with odds and ends. She didn’t have much time to observe, however, before a voice came from the back.  
“Perhaps you couldn’t read the sign, dearie, but we’re closed.”  
Footsteps followed the voice, and sure enough a man appeared. He was older than Belle, with a closed off, almost threatening, demeanor. He was visibly annoyed at her intrusion, but Belle took a deep breath and held herself high.  
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need money, and I need it tonight. I was told you might be interested in buying this,” she said steadily, and she slipped the ring off her finger once more. Mr Gold stepped forward to examine it, and Belle noticed for the first time his cane. Somehow, it didn’t make him seem less intimidating. If anything it added to the effect. Before she knew it he was standing right in front of her, and he plucked the ring out of her fingers.  
“What’s this? An engagement ring?” He asked, glancing up just long enough to see Belle nod in confirmation. “Why would you be so eager to sell something so… sentimental?”  
“It’s not sentimental. It’s actually something I’d like to forget,” she told him hurriedly.  
“Something or someone?” he asked. A smirk spread across his face that made Belle want to stomp her foot in protest, but she simply took a deep breath.  
“Will you buy it or not?”  
Gold examined the Belle, then the ring once more, and shook his head.  
“I’m sorry, I simply have no use for it. It’s not anything extraordinary, just a simple ring. I have plenty of those,” He said. Despite the quiet manner in which he refused her, it felt like a blow to the stomach. Belle had no other leads. Dejected, she nodded and turned to leave without another word. Her hand drifted to the charm of her necklace, hoping (uselessly) that the familiar shape would help her hold back the tears that were rising. She was almost to the door when Gold’s voice stopped her.  
“That necklace is intriguing. Might I take a look?”  
Belle turned slowly, eyeing him warily. Still silent, she walked a few steps so she was standing in front of it, though she made no move to remove the necklace. Gold lifted the charm, his fingers brushing against her collarbone. He inspected it quietly.  
“This is exquisite. I daresay it’s one of a kind,” he observed after a few moments. Belle nodded in affirmation.  
“It is. It was my mother’s. And my grandmother’s before that,” she murmured.  
“An heirloom. This is a different story,” he said, letting go of it and fixing his attention again on Belle. “I’ll give you two thousand dollars for it.”  
Belle was floored. That would be more than enough to get her on her feet for the time being, but how could she part with it?  
“It’s not for sale,” She rebutted without much thought, but Gold only laughed.  
“I don’t believe you’re in a place to refuse so immediately. You seemed rather urgent just a moment ago.”  
That gave her pause. Belle thought for a moment, lips pursed.  
“You have to understand. This is special to me. It was the last thing my mother ever gave me,” she began, eyeing Gold warily.  
“And?” was all he replied, sensing where she was going.  
“If I sell it to you, can I buy it back when I’m on my feet again?” she asked tentatively.  
“Of course you may, as long as someone else doesn’t buy it first.”  
Belle shook her head immediately.  
“No. You have to hold it for me. No one else can buy it,” she insisted, to Gold’s obvious amusement.  
“That’s hardly good business. How do I know you’ll ever get the money? It’s rather difficult to pay back alone without a job,” he told her pointedly.  
“Then get me a job,” Belle prompted. “I was told you liked deals. I give you the necklace for a thousand dollars. You get me a job, so you know I’m earning, and I’ll pay you back double if you hold it for me.”  
Mr. Gold mused on this for a moment while Belle waited impatiently, biting her lip. After a few moments, he spoke.  
“You’re bold, I’ll give you that much. It appears we have a deal, if you’ll hand over the necklace.”  
It was both a victory and a loss, but Belle handed it over with a heavy heart. Mr. walked behind the counter. He tucked it away in a place Belle couldn’t even see, then opened the register and counted out a thousand dollars.  
“Come back tomorrow morning. 9 am sharp, and you’ll have your job,” he said. Belle thanked him and started to walk away, but he stopped her once more.  
“Wait, dearie. I’m going to need your name.”  
“I’m Belle. Belle French.”  
_____________________________________________________________________  
Belle felt empowered for the rest of that night. Though she was still in a strange town, there was some hope for the future. She had money, a job, a place to stay- as circumstances were, that was pretty good.  
The next morning, Belle woke to a knock at the door. A glance at her bedside table and she realized how late she had slept in. Grumbling to herself, she rolled out of bed and made herself presentable, or as presentable as she could be in a three-day old dress, and opened the door.  
Mr. Gold stood in the hallway, looking slightly perturbed as usual. He gave Belle a once over, and she was suddenly ashamed of her crumpled appearance. She would need to buy some clothes and take a shower.  
“Miss French, may I come in?” he prompted when she didn’t speak for a few moments. Belle came to her senses and stepped aside, gesturing for him to step inside.  
“I’m sorry, I just woke up. It was my first night of real sleep in a few days,” she explained, doing her best to sound professional. They had a deal, after all. Gold looked around the small hotel room before his eyes landed on Belle, nodding in acknowledgement if not understanding.  
“It’s no matter, as long as you can make yourself more presentable by tomorrow morning. You’ll start work at the library then,” he explained, and Belle’s eyes went wide.  
“The library?”  
“Well what did you expect? Something glamorous?”  
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Belle assured him. “It’s perfect. I love books.”  
A look of interest seemed to pass over Gold’s face, but it was gone just as quickly as it came.  
“Well, I can only hope you’ll be a competent worker then. You’ll be the head librarian, as long as you're with us. The place has been closed for years, so you’ll need to do some reorganizing before it can officially been opening. I take it from your expression that you accept?”  
Belle nodded, smiling brightly. “Of course. Thank you.”  
Gold lingered for a moment longer and looked as if he were about to say something, but he instead turned to leave.  
“I’ll leave a note at the front desk with the address and the key. Be there at 9 am sharp. Dress code is business casual,” he told her pointedly before leaving.  
As soon as he was gone, Belle let out a sigh of relief. Somehow her luck had turned around, and it was time to get ready for her new job.  
_____________________________________________________________________  
Belle stood in the doorway, looking in at the dim, dusty, cluttered library. It was relatively small, but with all the disorder it looked massive. To say this place needed organized was an understatement. It needed renovated. Belle took a deep breath of fresh air before stepping into the room, wishing she had worn something more practical than her new skirt and blouse combo. With careful steps, she observed every corner of the library, from the front desk to the smallest shelf. There was a computer, though it was ancient, and one look into the card catalog drawer showed Belle that it was in complete disarray. After about twenty minutes, Belle knew she had her work cut out for her.  
A few hours later, Belle had opened the windows, swept the floor, cleaned the front desk, and started hauling all the books against one wall. She sat down on a cardboard box to catch her breath, blowing a piece of hair that had escaped her ponytail out of her face. Cleaning was good for her, it kept her busy and gave her a distraction after days of thinking and worrying about her father and Gaston. This project was all her own, and it required all of her energy.  
Belle heard a creak as the old door opened and Mr. Gold stepped in. He looked past the windows, desk, and piles of books until his eyes met Belle with a small smile.  
“I’m impressed, Miss French. You’re quite a hard worker to have all of this done in such a short time,” he said, turning his head to observe the room again. Belle smiled and stood up.  
“It’s been a good distraction, and I’ve never minded a bit of work. What brings you here?” She asked with an inquisitive expression. She had talked to Ruby at the diner this morning, and she told Belle a bit more about Mr. Gold. He sounded like a man who had his hands full.  
“Since it’s my money at stake, I figured I better be checking up on you. Making sure you’re holding up your end of the deal,” he explained.  
“There’s no need to take time out of your day for that. I always keep my word.”  
“It’s really no bother, it’s only my lunch break. Besides, I’d like to see your progress myself. I always handle my investments personally.”  
“Right,” Belle nodded, unsure of how to proceed. “Well, I’m going to take my lunch now too, so I’ll be going,” she said after a few moments of silence. Gold nodded, glanced at Belle once more, and headed toward the door.  
“Good day, Miss French.”  
_____________________________________________________________________  
The next few weeks passed in a similar fashion. Belle spent her days at the library, cleaning and organizing and planning. The problems of her past seemed to slowly fade away as she focused more on the future- what she would do when the library opened, how much more she would have to save for the necklace- Storybrooke was the center of her life now. She ate at Granny’s and chatted with Ruby, who was quickly becoming her friend. Mr. Gold visited at lunch every day like clockwork. He was still cool and sarcastic, but Belle felt herself warming up to him. Where she used to be nervous, she was now comfortable. Instead of responding awkwardly, she teased and talked with him. Every day he complimented her on her work, and he seemed to enjoy their banter. Belle was beginning to feel that they were a strange sort of friends, though he never made it apparent that he thought of their relationship as any less than business.  
Belle was nearly done reorganizing the books. The grand re-opening of the library was set for that Friday, and she was working harder than ever to insure everything would be ready. She was working so hard that she didn’t notice the time, or even the fact that Mr. Gold had walked in a few minutes ago.  
“Working, through lunch, Miss French?” he asked with a lopsided smile as he stepped through the labyrinth of shelves to where Belle was working. She turned toward him, startled but smiling.  
“I hadn’t even noticed the time, I’ve been so focused on getting this done,” she told him as she picking up another book. “It has to be ready by the end of the week, you know.”  
“I do know. But perhaps that’s all the more reason for a break,” he countered, taking the book out of her hand and setting it on the shelf. Gold looked at Belle for a moment, as if he was making a mental decision. “Would you like to go to lunch with me? We could discuss the opening.”  
Belle blinked, silent for a moment. Mr. Gold had never made an offer like this before, they had always just met in his shop or at the library. The request was strange, but not unwelcome.  
“Of course. Just let me get me coat.”  
A few minutes later, they were walking into Granny’s. Belle entered first, and Ruby saw her immediately.  
“Belle! Come sit at the counter, I want to hear what you think of that book I gave you,” she called with a bright smile. Mr. Gold stepped into view just after, turning Ruby’s friendly gaze into one of confusion.  
“Actually, Ruby, I’m having lunch with Mr. Gold today. We can talk at dinner,” Belle assured her. Ruby nodded and pointed out a table for them, but she eyed Mr. Gold suspiciously as she walked away. They sat across from each other in a booth, quiet until Ruby dropped off a pair of menus.  
“It looked like everything is about in order for the opening,” Gold observed, glancing at Belle over his menu.  
“Yes it is. Once I’m done with the books everything should be set. Although, I was thinking about creating some sort of storytime program for the younger kids. I’m not sure if that’s something I wanted to start right at the beginning though. There will be plenty of time in the future” she told him. Gold put his menu down and looked at Belle intently, his eyes focused on her.  
“The future? Are you planning to stay at in Storybrooke long-term then?” Now it was Belle’s turn to return his intent gaze.  
“Is that a problem?” she asked.  
“No, no of course not,” Gold shook his head. “I just assumed that you would be off as soon as you bought back your necklace.”  
“Well, I thought about it, but things aren’t so bad here. I have a job, friends, a place to stay. Where else would I go?” Belle shrugged, looking down at her menu again.  
“I thought maybe you’d go back home,” Gold said casually. Belle’s head snapped up immediately.  
“No. I’m never going back there,” she said firmly.  
“But why? You haven’t told me why you came to Storybrooke with no money, no clothes, no contacts. It looked like you left in a hurry.”  
“I did,” was all she said, anxiety rising in her chest.  
“Will you tell me what happened?” he asked, his voice and expression gentle like Belle had never seen before. She looked back at him for a moment, still reluctant until their eyes met. She sighed, and spoke.  
“I, uh, was engaged to this guy. Gaston. I didn’t really care about him, but things have been really hard for my father financially since my mother died. He couldn’t support us both, but Gaston had money and he wanted to marry me. My father kept telling me how great Gaston is and how he would give me a good life. So I said yes to make my father happy,” She began, her voice unsure and melancholy. “A couple weeks ago we had an engagement party. I spent the entire night fake smiling and pretending to be someone I wasn’t. I went to go find a little peace, and I came across my father and Gaston talking. I heard him thank my father for his help, then he handed him a check. Turns out Gaston paid my father in exchange for his encouraging me to accept him. I grabbed what I could, got on a bus, and kept riding until I got here.”  
Gold was at an obvious loss for words. He tapped his fingers on the table, looking at the ground instead of at Belle, but she could see that he was thinking when she looked at his eyes.  
“I’m sorry,” he said softly when he finally did speak. “I can’t imagine how that must have felt.”  
“Yeah. It’s alright though. I’m here now, and I’m happier than I have been for a long time,” she said, looking across the table at Gold.  
“Perhaps it was all for the best then. Everything comes with a price. Maybe the price for your happiness was a bit of heartache,” he told her, finally meeting Belle’s eyes once more.  
“Maybe,” she repeated softly.  
“I must say, I’m… glad you ended up here.”  
“Me too.”  
_____________________________________________________________________  
Ruby came to take their order soon after, and they spent the rest of the lunch eating burgers and talking and laughing. They moved onto more pleasant subjects, but Gold never forgot about her story and Belle couldn’t get the image of his gentle and concerned face out of her head. Even through the rest of the week, that was the image in her mind whenever she saw or thought of Mr. Gold. They began to have lunch every day- sometimes at Granny’s and sometimes in the library. He began to spend a part of his afternoon there too, helping Belle with some last-minute changes around the library.  
The day of the grand opening was soon upon them, and dozens of people gathered in the library to meet the new librarian. There was music and refreshments, and Belle really felt for the first time like she had accomplished something.  
Ruby had just left, leaving Belle alone by the front desk until Mr. Gold approached her, and offered her a glass of punch.  
“Everything seems to be going nicely,” he said as Belle accepted the drink. “You should be very proud of yourself, Miss French.”  
“I think it’s time you start calling me Belle,” she insisted, giving him a teasing smile before taking a sip of her punch.  
“Alright then. You should be very proud of yourself, Belle,” He corrected, returning her smile. Belle felt herself blush at his praise and the sound of her name on his lips.  
“Thank you. And I am,” she told him genuinely. “Although, I think it’s only fair that you tell me your first name. No one around here seems to know it.”  
“That’s because I don’t want anyone to know it. I haven’t gone by it since I was a boy. But… a few people do call me Rumple,” he said in a hushed tone. Belle raised an eyebrow.  
“Rumple? That’s an odd nickname.”  
“I’ll tell you the story, someday,” he promised.  
“I look forward to it, Rumple.”  
He looked at Belle for a moment with that gentle, intent gaze. His brow furrowed, as if he was trying to decide the exact words to say. After a moment the expression vanished, and he shifted his weight away from Belle.  
“How are your savings coming along?” he asked, and Belle felt disappointed for some reason. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t this. He had shifted back into his business-like demeanor. More like the Mr. Gold she had first met.  
“Alright, I suppose. I’m a little less than halfway there. It’ll probably be another month or two before I can pay you back,” she said. He nodded, looking as if he was about to say something, but the phone rang.  
“I should probably take this,” Belle told him with an apologetic glance.  
“It’s no matter. I’ll leave you to your job,” he said, and disappeared out the door. Belle picked up the phone and put it to her ear.  
“Hello?”  
“Oh, Belle, I’m so glad it’s you,” her father sighed on the other end.  
“Father? How did you even get this number?”  
“Gaston knows some people. We hired a detective to find you. Oh sweetheart, we’ve been so worried.”  
“I’m fine, father. You shouldn’t have gone looking for me. I don’t want to speak to either of you!” she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down.  
“I know you must be dreadfully angry, Belle, but please come home. I don’t know what to do without you. You don’t have to marry Gaston. You can come back and help me at the flower shop,” he pleaded.  
“I already have a job. I’m not coming back.”  
“Please. Just think about it. You’re mother would want us to stay together.”  
Belle paused, a refusal on the tip of her tongue. She was happy here. But he was her family, all she had left without her mother.  
“Okay. I’ll think about it. Goodbye, father.”  
_____________________________________________________________________  
Belle walked as slowly as she possibly could, but the short distance between Granny’s and the shop wouldn’t take long anyway. She was filled with dread and anxiety, which only got worse the closer she got. It had been a few days since her father called, and true to her word, Belle had thought about it. She had done little else. All she could think about were her father’s last words to her, that her mother would want them to be together. The sign was flipped to closed, much like it had been the first day Belle arrived in Storybrooke, but everything was different now. She paused outside the door, rocking on her heels, ready to just turn around and forget it. But she couldn’t do that, so she pushed the door open.  
The familiar ringing of the bell greeted her before Rumple could, though as soon as he heard the noise he looked up, ready to tell off whoever was entering the shop so late. Instead he smiled as he saw her, and made his way around the counter to greet her.  
“Belle, hello,” he said as she took a couple more steps into the shop.  
“Hello, Rumple- Mr. Gold,” she corrected herself, taking a deep breath. Rumple looked at her quizzically, taken aback by her formal tone.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his head tilting in concern. Belle wanted to melt when he gave her that look, but she steeled herself against her feelings.  
“I, um, I wanted to let you know that you should look for a new librarian.”  
“What?”  
“I’m going home,” she breathed, though it sounded wrong coming out of her mouth. Rumple let out a chuckle, his face incredulous.  
“I thought you said you were never going back. I thought you liked it here.”  
“I know. But… my father called the other day. At the opening. He wants me to come home, and I’m going to.”  
“Belle, think about this. You left for a reason. Don’t go back just because he wants you to, you can make you’re own decisions.”  
“I am making my own decision!” she insisted, her voice rising. “I’m deciding to go back to the only family I’ve got!”  
Rumple looked at her intently again, but this time all the warmth and softness was gone. He shook his head and took a step back.  
“Alright. When do you leave?”  
“In three days. Ruby said she would look after the library for a few days until you can find someone new,” Belle said quietly.  
“And what about the necklace?”  
“I’ll keep saving. I’ll come back and visit to buy it back when I’m ready, but it could be awhile.”  
“Well it seems like you’ve got it all planned out. Good day, Miss French.”  
_____________________________________________________________________  
He didn’t come to the library the next day. Or the day after that. Belle went to Granny’s for lunch both times, hoping to see him there, but he never was. She debated going to the shop herself, but she didn’t even know what she would say. He obviously didn’t want to see her, so she just focused on getting the library ready for the new librarian and packing up what few belongings she had.  
On her last morning Belle took her bags down to the diner, ready for one last breakfast chat with Ruby before she caught her bus at 10. Ruby was busy when she first got there, so she went up to the counter to turn in her room key.  
“Well, I guess that’s it then,” she said when it was all said and done. She was officially checked out. Ruby was just finishing up, so Belle moved toward a table where they could chat, when Granny stopped her.  
“Oh, I almost forgot, Mr. Gold dropped this off for you last night,” she said, and handed Belle an envelope. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she read her name in Rumple’s loopy handwriting before she tore it open. Inside was a piece of paper, about the size of a note card.  
We’re even. --Rumple  
There was still a weight to the envelope, and sure enough Belle pulled out a light metal chain with a rose shaped charm hanging daintily from it. Her mother’s necklace.  
Belle flipped over the notecard, hoping he had written more, but there was nothing. She had paid nothing, but he gave her the necklace back. She wouldn’t have to go back to Storybrooke in a month or a year to get it back. She wouldn’t have to go into the shop again, or see Rumple. She could just go and never look back. As Belle stared at her necklace and the card, she realized how much that hurt. Without knowing it, she had put so much hope on the necklace, on needing to come back and buy it and be in Storybrooke once again. She had hoped to see Rumple again.  
Belle reached around her neck and clasped the necklace on, feeling the familiar weight on her collar bones.  
“Ruby, watch my stuff, I’ll be right back,” she called across the diner, not wasting another second as she ran toward the door.  
This time the distance between Granny’s and the shop seemed incredibly far. It seemed to be an eternity before she stopped in front of the door, with the sign flipped to close. This time she didn’t hesitate before opening the door or entering the shop. Rumple looked up, standing behind the counter as usual, with a look of utter confusion.  
“Belle, I-” he began, stepping around the counter. Belle didn’t let him finish. She closed the distance between them, grabbed his collar, and pressed her lips against his.  
After a moment of frozen confusion, Rumple wrapped his arms around Belle, gently and gradually letting himself fall into the kiss. Belle pulled back and rested her forehead against his, finally taking a moment to catch her breath.  
“Don’t find a new librarian,” she whispered, still holding onto him.  
“I thought you were going home,” he replied shakily, his voice soft.  
“I am home.”  
Their lips reconnected, and Belle knew she was where she was supposed to be.


End file.
